January unemployment rate up slightly over December for Abilene

Abilene's unemployment rate stood at 3.6 percent for January — a half point higher than last month's rate, but a half point lower than a year ago.

The Texas Workforce Commission Friday estimated the civilian labor force in the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area — made up of Taylor, Jones and Callahan counties — at 76,000. Of those, 73,300 were employed.

In December, the TWC placed the rate at 3.1 percent. In January 2017, it was 4.1 percent.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.0 percent in January and remains below the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.1 percent.

Midland recorded the month’s lowest unemployment rate with a non-seasonally adjusted rate of 2.4 percent, followed by Amarillo at 2.8 percent. The Austin-Round Rock area had the third lowest rate of 3.0 percent for January.